Adjustable step-ladder



(N5 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. V. STEPHENSON. ADJUSTABLE STEP LADDER.

No. 559,630. Patented May 5, 1896.

j QLMMSXWQH (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. V. STEPHENSON. ADJUSTABLE STEP LADDER.

No. 559,630. Patented May 5, 1896.

To call whom it iii/my concern.-

UNITED STATES PATENT rica lVALTER VARIAN STEPHENSON, OI FORT DODGE, IOlVA.

ADJUSTABLE STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,630, dated May 5. 1896.

Application filed December 6, 1895.

Be it known that I, WALTER VARIAN STE- PHENSON, a citizen of the United States of A1nerica,residing at Fort Dodge,in the county of Vebster and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adj ustablc Step-Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of adjustable step ladders in which the ladder proper and its support may be lengthened or shortened independently.

My objects are to provide a ladder of cheap, simple, strong, and durable construction; to provide improved and simplified means for adjusting and holding in position the rear support, and to provide improved means for detachably connecting the ladder and sup port.

My invention consists in certain details of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows the complete ladder in perspective. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the means for connecting the upper end of the support to the ladder, also one of the side pieces of the top in proximity thereto. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of part of the support, showing the means for adjusting the parts thereof relative to each other. Fig. 4. shows a perspective view of the device for holding the lower end of the upper ladder in position relative to the under ladder.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the ladder proper is seen to be composed of two parts, the under of which has parallel flat side pieces A and rounds A at the front edges thereof and a metal bar A fixed to the top portion of the sides A, with its ends overlapping the forward edges thereof and its central portion extended from one side piece to the other at the rear thereof.

B indicates the top section of the ladder held to the under section by being inserted between the rounds and said bar A". At the lower end of each of the side pieces of the section B is a stirrup B having an arm B extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom and also having perforated ears B" on serial No. 571,267. (No model.)

their rear surfaces for purposes hereinafter set forth.

At the top of the upper ladder-section two side pieces or braces 0 support the flat top piece 0 and are provided with irregularshaped openings 0 to admit a ba'rD, having an enlarged head D The tops of the side pieces F of the support are detachably c011- nected with the side pieces or braces O by having the bar D passed through openings therein and then turned at an angle so that the irregular-shaped head D may not be drawn back through the holes without first being turned, thus providing a readily detachable connection.

The lower ends of both the upper laddersection and the uppersupport-section are connected by means of a brace, as required, to prevent them from spreading. By being thus positioned the brace is always at the weakest point in the ladderthat is, near the connection of the two partsparticularly when the ladder is extended to its greatest height. The brace comprises two parts H and H pivotally connected to fold upwardly, but not downwardly, the part H having openings H in its ends whereby it may be connected with the cars 13 of the stirrups B by means of bolts. The part H is pivotally connected with the cleats J, which are fixed to the lower ends of the upper support-section and overlies the sides, back, and inner surface of the lower support-section, thus providing a sliding connection between the two parts of the support.

The under section of the support is composed of two side pieces K, connected attheir upper and lower end portions by the crossbrace K and near their tops by the crossbrace K. The upper section is adjusted relative to this lower one by means of a bail L, pivotally connected with the tops of the lower section by means of the cleats M, which are bent to overlap the sides and rear of the uprights and are provided with slots M in their rear surfaces to admit screws h whereby they are secured to the uprights and also provided with integral journals N, projecting from their sides to receive the loops N in the ends of the bail L. In the central portion of this bail is'a loop N to which is pivoted a hook N of such a length as to engage the cross-brace K A series of notches T are formed in the inner edges of the upper support-sections, and it is obvious that the upper section may be supported on the lower one by means of the bail entering the notches and then being held in place by the hook, and it is also obvious that the support may be readily and quickly adj usted as to length.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is

1. The combination, in a step-ladder, of a lower ladder-section, a bar near its top extended across the rear thereof, an upper section passed between said bar and the rounds of the lower section, stirrups on the lower ends of the upper section having arms projecting forwardly and downwardly, perfo' rated ears formed on the rear surfaces of the stirrups, upper and lower support-sections, means for holding the upper section against vertical movement relative to the lower section, cleats fixed to the lower ends of the upper section to overlap the sides and rear of the under section and a brace pivoted to said cleats at one end and to the said perforated cars at the other end and a joint in its center designed to fold upwardly, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

2. An adjustable step-ladder, comprising a lower ladder-section, having rounds at its front edge, a bar extended across the back of its upper end, an upper ladder-section, stirrups on its lower end having arms projected forwardly and downwardly and perforated ears on their rear surfaces, a support composed of two sections each comprising parallel side pieces and cross-braces, the side pieces of the upper section having serrated inner edges, a bail pivoted to the tops of the lower section to overlap the upper section, a hook pivoted thereto, cleats fixed to the lower ends of the upper section and partially encircling the side pieces of the under section, a brace pivoted to the said cleats and to the said perforated ears and having a joint in its central portion designed to fold upwardly and a rod having an enlarged head for detachably connecting the tops of the ladder and support, substantially as and for the purposes stated 3. An adjustable support for step-ladders, comprising two sections, each having parallel side pieces, cleats fixed to the lower end of the upper section to overlap the side pieces of the lower section and produce a sliding connection therewith, a series of notches on the forward edges of the upper section, a bail pivoted to the top portion of the lower section and designed to enter the notches in the edges of the upper section a hook pivoted to said bail and a cross-piece in the lower section to be engaged by said hook, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

WALTER VARIAN STEPHENSON.

\Vitnesses W. H. TOWER, J. B. ASHTON. 

